Decorative covering for cameras and process for producing same



Jan. 4 1927.

E. E. UNDERWOOD DECORATIVE COVERING FOR CAMERAS AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCING SAME Filed April 5, 1926 INVENTOR, Emafi E. Uizderwoad,

' ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 4, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST E. UNDERWOQD, OF ROCHESTER. NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO EASTll/IAN KODAK COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK. A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

DECORATIVE COVERING FOR CAMERAS AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCING SAME.

Application filed April 5, 1926. Serial No. 99,859.

This invention relates to the production of decorative coverings for cameras. One object is to provide a camera covering with panels outlined by embossed, outstanding bands. Another object is to provide a pebbled, grained or roughened surface between the outlining bands. Another object is to provide a camera covering in which the outlining bands are permanently raised above the surface of the covering. Another object is to provide two distinctly different surfaces for the camera covering, one for the outlining bands and another for the remainder of the camera covering. Another is to provide a process for producing the camera covering. Another object is to provide a process for applying the covering to the camera, and other objects will appear from the following specification, the novel features being particularly pointed out in the claims at the end thereof.

It has been common practice to decorate camera coverings of leather and imitation leather by means of bands outlining panels etc. These outlining decorative markings have been impressed into the material with suitable tools such as a heated die. The lines thus formed constitute grooves in the material, and when a leather grained sur-- face is used the die tends to squeeze out the grain, so that the markings present a smooth depressed portion.

The effect of such marking depends entirely upon the thickness of the material. For instance a good grade of leather covcring for cameras consists of leather stock .O lt to .050 thick. The markings are frequent ly in'ipressed at least .030 into the material, thus effectually removing the grain of the leather and providing a groove the depth of which will cause shadows which increa e the coi'itrast of the markings, thus cnhancins ell'ect of the design.

\Yith artificial leather the paneling has not been entirely satisfactory, because even very thick material is provided with a more or less resilient backing, so that it is not possible to obtin deep grooves, and without them the grain usually is apparent, thus reducing the desired contrast. Moreover, thick imitation leather is very costly. Thin material, such a. is ordinarily supplied to the trade. may be obtained from .010 to .015 thick. Such material, if

treated as above described for leather, yields unsatisfactory results, since the lines can not be impressed so as to obliterate the surface grainiug, and the depth of such lines must be very slight, say .005, so that substantially no grooves result, and no shadows result. so that by the known methods, relief effect of the panelling is not obtained.

My invention is directed to overcon'iing these ditliculties, and to the production of a decorative camera covering with thin material, especially material such as .010 thick imitation leather for cheap cameras.

My invention broadly consists in graining, embossing or roughening only that part of the material which is to appear in that con dition in the final article, and embossing or raising up in relief the outlining bands. In this way no change of surface is made in the embossed lines, the roughening eX- tends right up to the edges of the embossed lines; and, being raised, the lines stand out in relief, produce shadows and a much more striking appearance than can otherwise be obtained. I generally prefer to emboss the material relatively high. This gives the effect of a heavy or thick covering even though very thin material is used.

Coming now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote like parts through out Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a camera decorated with a covering made in accord ance with and illustrating one embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of a portion of the camera covering;

Fig. 3 is a detail section of a portion of the covering applied to a camera;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a typical decorating plate upon which the side covering for the illustrated camera may be made; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail section through a portion of the plate shown in Fig. at, with a. cover in place being decorated.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1 a simple type of box camera is decorated with a covering made in accordance with my invention. This camera may comprise a. box having walls designated broadly as W, such as side walls 1, and end walls 2. One end wall has the usual lightaperture 3 and openings 4 for the finder lenses 5. Two side walls may have a frame 6 (only one till being shown) in which is mounted a glass 7 in which the view may be composed. The usual shutter operating levers S and 9 may extend up through the side walls.

This camera may be decorated with a thin artificial leather the bony 10 of which is grained or roughened in any desired pattern. and which is divided into dec rative panels 11 by lines 12 which are raised up or embossed. These lines are preferably smooth and are urn 'ncd and produce a contrast with the run cued or grained body portion 10. Standing well above the grained material they produce the appearance of a thick covering.

The covering for the can'iera is made as follows: Suitable die-plates are provided. such as plate 20. which have a surface it grained or roughened as desired. and in which grooves 22 are cut corresponding in width to the desired width of the panel out: lining band 12. This plate is set in a press and a heavy sheet of prepared til er board 23. Fig. is contacted with plate 20 under heavy pressure. thus forming a punch 2-. Plate 20 may be heated to a suitable temperature for the material employed. and the punch and die thus formed are ready for use.

A sheet or covering material such as thin artilieial leather L is then taken and placed between the punch and die which are then subjected to pressure. This roughens or grains the bodv portion 10 and torces the line portions into grooves 22. Since the original material pretc 'abl v had a smooth glossy or shin surtace. these characteristics are pre erved in the bands or lines 12.

It is important to note that the graining extends right up to the base 32 ot the lines 12 and a sharp line between the two surfaces is thus tormed. thus enhancing the looks of the panels. The lines 12 being ungrained have ditlcrent light rctlccting characteristics 't rom the graincd bodv oi the covering. The height ot' the einbos ings gives the appearance oi a relativel thick covering material.

In order to preserve the embossed lines 12. I cover the camera in the lollowing mau ner. The back 230 of the covering is covered with a suitable adhesive 3 such as heated glue. and the covering placed without pressure on the camera. As shown in Fig. 3 the amcra wall ll lies in a plane and the embossings 12 are spaced l'rom this plane. After the covering is applied the camera is placed in a press 4.0 preterahlv covered with tel 11 having cutouts registering with the embossed lines 12. and as pressure applied moving part 40 towards wall W. the adhesive is squeezed beneath embossing 12 as shown at 44. In this position the ad hesive hardcns. so as to form ribs for supporting; the side and top walls of the embossings 12. thus holding them pern'ianently in their raised position in which they delinc the panels 11.

It will thus be seen that I have produced a decorative can era covering of chaip thin material which is embossed in relatively high reliet so that the paneling ot' the design stands out. The height of the lines is such that their smooth top and side walls present a pleasing contrast to the roughened or grained body covering.

l t desirable to reduce the wear on the embossed lines 12. This may be done by raising the edges 52 of the end walls 2 higher than the embossings 12 so tha t when the camera is laid on a plane surface. the cmbossings 12 will not touch the plane. This can be done for tire sides 2 alone it desired. because a camera of the shape il ustrated is rarely laid on end. it desired. these protective edges may be entirely omitted. although I prefer to include them as shown.

Obviously changes may be made in th panel design. graining and size location ot the outlining bands without departing t'roin my invention. and I contemplate as within the scope of my invention all such changes as mav come within the terms ot the ap pended claims.

Having thus described my invention. what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A decorative covering for cameras including a camera wall. a sheet of covering material having a roughened surface. embossing in the material having a smooth surface contrasting to the roughened surtace oi: the covering. a layer of adhesive for holding the covering on the camera. and ribs oi'j' adhesive for supporting the embossings.

2. A decorative covering for cameras including a camera wall. a sheet of grained covering material. ungraiued embos ed lines formed in the material. and a layer of adhesive for attaching the covering to the camera wall including portions ot the adhesive oi greater thickness than the major portion thereof. said thickened portions supporting the ungrained embossed lines whereby the latter are pcrmanentl; supported in place.

3. The process of producing a decorative covering tor cameras which includes a ppl ving a covering having embossed decorations to a. camera wall v 'th an adhesive between the wall and covering. applying pressure to the covering between the embossed areas whereby the adhesive, mav till the embossiugs. and allowing the adhesive to harden.

4;. The process of producing a decorative covering for cameras which includes coating an embossed covering with adhesive. applving the coating to the camera wall. applving pressure to the covering between the emtil! tun

bossings whereby the adhesive may fill the embossings and allowing the adhesive to harden.

The process of producing a decorative covering for can'ieras which includes embossing areas and altering the reflecting characteristics of the area of the covering lying between the embossed areas, securing the covering to a camera wall, and supporting the embossed areas by thickened areas of adhesive.

6. The process of producing a decorative covering for cameras consisting of first, embossii'ig lines on a relatively thin smooth material, and ronghening the surface between the lines; second, coating the prepared material with. a n adhesive and applying the same to a camera; third, pressing the roughened surface between the lines upon the camera causing adhesive to till the embossed portions oi the covering and permitting the adhesive to harden.

Z. The process of producing a decorative covering on cameras including embossing portions of a sheet of covering material, applying an adhesive to the material, applying the adhesive coated material to a camera, and pressing the unembossed area of said material on the camera whereby the adhesive fills and embossed areas, and the embossings are permanently supported by hardened adhesive.

An article of manufacture comprising a camera, having walls decorated with a co vering attached to a wall of the camera by an adhesive, said covering consisting of sheet material, embossed areas on the covering material, the embossed areas and the sheet material having different light reflecting characteristics, and an adhesive for holding the covering on the camera wall, said adhesive being relatively thick at the embossed areas, whereby these areas are supported thereby.

9. In a decorated camera, the combination with a camera having end and body walls, each lying in a plane, of certain of these walls projecting beyond the plane of the other walls, and a decorative covering of substantially flat material having embossings thereon raised above the flat surface of the covering and fastened to the plane walls, the projecting walls being of such height that the embossed areas of the covering are protected thereby.

10. In a decorated camera, the combination with a camera having a Wall lying substantially in a plane, at least two edges of he wall being raised above the plane and decorative covering of substantially flat material having embossings raised above the flat surface of the covering attached to the wall lying in the plane, the raised edges of the camera being at least as high above the wall lying in the plane as the embossings are, whereby said embossings are protected against contact With a flat surface when the camera may be laid thereon by the raised all portions.

Signed at Rochester, New York, this 31st day of March, 1926.

ERNEST E. UNDERlVOOD. 

